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6 minutes ago, mmx_2 said:

That raises the next question, when will that nice 350 in the picture be available 😄

I recently quoted a 2011 forum post by David Farkas (Leica dealer), who seemed confident it was coming (along with other S lenses we haven’t seen). 

I also wouldn’t hold my breath on the S system in general beyond the S3 (assuming it’s coming), at least not as currently configured.

Jeff

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  • 2 weeks later...

So, it looks like there will be an event on November 5th ahead of Paris Photo. It seems highly likely they will announce the SL2, but hopefully they will give an update on the S3...I think they really have to give some sort of indication of what is going on...it was announced over a year ago, and if they have an event I think one way or another they will be a ton of pressure to give an update, whether it will be released, further delayed, or canceled. 

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28 minutes ago, Stuart Richardson said:

So, it looks like there will be an event on November 5th ahead of Paris Photo. It seems highly likely they will announce the SL2, but hopefully they will give an update on the S3...I think they really have to give some sort of indication of what is going on...it was announced over a year ago, and if they have an event I think one way or another they will be a ton of pressure to give an update, whether it will be released, further delayed, or canceled. 

That would be the rational and courteous thing to do (even if behind the scenes),  but I won’t be the least surprised over silence.  

Jeff

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I don't believe Leica would give up on this wonderful system they built during the past 10 years. Looking at the forums these days, I think there's some change in the wind, away from EVF mirrorless and I think there still is a market for a medium format DSLR with such a high quality OVF and I hope Leica Camera sees this too and brings the S3 to market.

The pretty Hasselblad and the relatively cheap Fuji MF cameras have helped a lot to create more interest in small medium format and the S3 will offer quite a few competitive options compared to the competition - fast and easy operating, optical viewfinder, leaf shutters, enough resolution for 90 x 60 cm prints with an arsenal of really great lenses available, to name just a few considerations.

I wonder how how many cameras would have to be made yearly to keep the system profitable, anyone dare too take a wild guess? 2000? Most of the lens-line is already in place, the camera design is already fantastic and doesn't seem to need a lot more work, the electronic internals can be updated without changing the form factor, so Leica get on with it, please 😍😍😍

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I am not very optimistic right now. The GFX100 and new high res FF bodies from Sony etc. have brought second hand prices in MF digital down relentlessly. I was able, after some negotiation, to buy a Phase One IQ3 100 back for little over Eur 12k from a private seller recently, and I hear that a friend is being offered a second hand XF with the IQ4 150 for about EUR25k. Given the new circumstances, I am not prepared to pay Eur20k or more for the S3 body, even though I have 7 amazing lenses for it. I was prepared to pay about Eur 15k a year ago, but I have lost interest since and I am only hoping now that I will be able to offload the lenses at a more reasonable price once the S3 has become available. Unless Leica can find a way to sell the new body for somewhere between Eur 10-15k, I don't think they can hope for meaningful sales. I have said this here already - I don't believe there is a technical issue preventing the release of the S3; I am convinced it is the lack of a sufficient "value argument" that would allow Leica to sell it at prices they need for the S line to be profitable for them. In the original announcement, they were talking about a new colour array and significantly better high ISO performance, if I remember correctly. If the new sensor is a larger derivative of the one found in the SR1 (and probably the new SL2) then perhaps (and I am speculating now) the performance at 64MP may be great but not spectacular enough to warrant a Eur 22k price, given the price points of the nearest comparable bodies in FF and MFD. The only technical reason for the delay that would make sense to me would be waiting for the completion of a new reliable tethering solution. I will be watching the announcements closely on 5th November - if they announce a new tethering solution together with the SL2, then I will become a bit more optimistic about the future of the S line.

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On 10/19/2019 at 7:15 PM, Stuart Richardson said:

So, it looks like there will be an event on November 5th ahead of Paris Photo. It seems highly likely they will announce the SL2, but hopefully they will give an update on the S3...I think they really have to give some sort of indication of what is going on...it was announced over a year ago, and if they have an event I think one way or another they will be a ton of pressure to give an update, whether it will be released, further delayed, or canceled. 

S3 now listed on Leica site as Spring 2020.

Jeff

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5 hours ago, Jeff S said:

S3 now listed on Leica site as Spring 2020.

Jeff

It is good that Leica uses time to optimise the body, although delays can also be a problem in a market driven by technological advances/constantly new selling points. 

It will be interesting to see what Leica has been working on since the S3 announcement more than a year ago... Improved/more flexible af? More modern flash protocols? Option to turn off LENR for long exposures? Improved app-controls/operation? Option to presset lenses for focus at infinity? (for astrophotography). First half of 2020 wil tell, apparently... 

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it's a joke. Sadly S3 will be DOA. What's the problem ? 

Nothing new, except new sensor. Which is not even best in class. Should be out-weighted by Sony's 33x44 100MP

It may be better to kill the system as it is. And reboot it as mirrorless. And bring S lenses central shutter compatibility to future SL2. Like that these awesome CS S lenses will not be wasted for flash photography 

 

Edited by nicci78
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I really hope (and I think they do) Leica continues the S-System with OVF. In one way its hard to compete with prices from Fuji and mirrorless Hassy here. But I think the Leicas S has some things going on which makes it enough different for some people to buy and use it. The optical viewfinder is one thing, simple user interface another, and the lenses are the third thing.

Without saying one is better or worse than the other, I really do not get it that many people see electric viewfinder as  THE only modern solution for digital cameras.

There are good reasons for EVF, but IMO there is still that direct connection to the subject which I feel when using a OVF.

I wonder why the S is sometimes discussed as an outdated system? It is still one (if not the) fastest small MF-systems. It is the one with the most complete and consistent lens line up. The lenses still shine. It allows both kinds of shutter, there are nice adapters to use other lenses , some even with AF.

What I also do not understand why Leica is not marketing the s-system stronger, and why they do not communicate more with their customers.

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They will continue S line. S3 will be available one day, that's a given. But how relevant it may be is not a sure thing at all.

S3 can be the last of its kind.

S lenses are not particularly suited for mirrorless contrast detect AF. Future small MF 30x45 mirrorless version, may need a new set of smaller lenses with step motors.

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8 hours ago, Jeff S said:

S3 now listed on Leica site as Spring 2020.

Jeff

Well I think that’s a good thing, because that would mean that they still plan on bringing it to the market, I hope ... 

It would be nice though if they could explain on this date in November that Stuart was talking about, why all this is taking so long, and explain a bit what they are doing and what they have in mind for the S system. I think they should not leave us loyal customers in the dark much longer and tell us a bit about what’s going on and what their plans are.

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